Safety device for firearms.



W. H. GATE S.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIREARMS. APPLICATION FILED MAR.20. 1908.

917,045, Patented Apr. 6, 1909.

Wag/@5566 171/671'6'061 Gites.

III lilTiED @TATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. GATES, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOPKINS &ALLEN ARMS COMPANY, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OFCONNECTICUT.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR FIREARMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Application filed March 20, 1908. Serial No. 422,345.

.tate of Connecticut, have invented a newand useful Safety Device forFirearms, of which the following is a specification.

T his invention relates to fire arms and especially to an improvedsafety means for preventing the accidental discharge thereof.

The principal objects of this invention are to construct a device forthe above mentioned purpose in such a manner that it can be made by theaddition of only one element to those ordinarily employed in a certaintype of firearms, whereby the device will be of an exceedingly simpleand inexpensive character; to provide the frame itself with a guide forthe safety device in such position that its operation may be seen fromthe outside so that the party using the firearm may see whether theprotector is working properly or not; and generally to simplify andimprove the construction of devices of this character. 7

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a side elevation partly in section of a revolver showing one form ofthe invention applied thereto; Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views ofportions of the same showing two positions of the safety device. Fig. atis an elevation of the safety device and the slide upon which it works,and Fig. 5 is a plan thereof.

The invention is shown as applied to a wellknown type of firearm havinga frame 10 provided with a hammer slot 11 for the hammer 12, and havinga trigger 13 connected with the hammer in any desired way. At the front.of the hammer-slot vertical ways or guides 1d are located in whichreciprocates a slide 15. These ways are shown as of dove-tail shape, andthe slide of corresponding shape to fit them. The slide is provided witha protecting plate 16 for the firing pin 17 having a space 18 under it,so that the slide may move down into the position shown in Fig. 2 withthe plate over the firing-pin. The slide extends down on one side toform a connection with the trigger. It will be seen that by thisconstruction the safety-device is so located that it may be i l l seenfrom the outside and no mistake will be made as to whether it isoperating or not. Moreover, by the location of the ways at the end ofthe hammer slot the manufacture of the device is rendered very simple,and the modification of the frame is so slight that it can practicallybe neglected in figuring the cost of the firearm. In addition to thisthe safety device itself is exceedingly simple and operates simply by asliding motion on the frame, being entirely unconnected with the hammer.Moreover the guides 20 of the slide extend down below the bottom of theplate 16 so that it is accurately guided even when raised so as to letthe hammer strike the pin through the recess 21 between the guides.I/Vhen the trigger is pulled back the slide moves up in an obviousmanner and uncovers the firing pin so as to allow the hammer to strikeit. If the hammer should be pulled partly back and let go, the slidewould cover thefiring pin before the hammer could hit it, and thus takethe blow and prevent accidental discharge.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention, I am aware that modifications may be made therein by personsskilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention asexpressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to allthe details of construction shown, but

What I do claim is 1. In a firearm, the combination with a frame havingguides, of a firing pin, a trigger, and a safety device working in saidguides and connected with said trigger at a point at the rear of theaXis about which it swings, whereby the safety device will be moved tocover the firing pin when the trigger moves forward and will expose itwhen the trigger is pulled back to firing position.

2. In a firearm, the combination with a frame having a hammer slot andvertical ways at the front end thereof, of a firing pin located betweensaid ways, a trigger, and a slide working in said ways independent ofthe hammer, held by the ways against lateral motion in all directions,and connected with the trigger, and having a plate adapted to cover thefiring pin in one position of the slide.

8. In a firearm, the combination of a frame having a hammer slotprovided with I I l 1 firing pin when the slide is in its lowermostposition, and avertical guide for the slide extending above the top ofthe hammer and visible froin the top of the firezirm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

M. H. GATES.

\Yitnesses:

EDWARD E. PERRY, F. L. lVADsxvonm-L

